Community Spirit

ATLANTA -- A McDonough teen has received a $1,875 scholarship from Delta Community Credit Union.

Adam Turner, 18, will begin his freshman year at Morehouse College this fall. He was given the first of four Delta Community scholarships for students who plan to attend historically black colleges and universities.

The Delta Community-KISS 104.1 HBCU Scholarship program plans to award a total of $7,500 in college money. The next scholarship recipient will be chosen this summer; a call for entries will be announced on KISS 104.1.

The scholarship program was created in recognition of Delta Community's 75th anniversary.

Sparkman was working as a security guard at a Kennesaw FedEx facility last April when he was shot in the abdomen. Since the shooting, Sparkman has undergone more than 30 surgeries. His wife Jamie Lynn quit her job to help take care of him.

The Sparkman family faces enormous medical bills; Jamie Lynn has spoken publicly about the need for financial assistance.

T.MAC customers who want to help Sparkman pay for his treatment can do so on Thursday, Apr. 2. Diners can drop their receipts in designated collection boxes; 10 percent of their bills will be donated to the Sparkman family.

(WXIA) -- Tuesday is National Pancake Day, and all Atlanta-area IHOP locations are celebrating by offering free short stacks to customers who support Children's Miracle Network.

Every year, IHOP restaurants raise money for children's hospitals nationwide, including Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, on National Pancake Day. Diners have the option of making a donation in exchange for free buttermilk pancakes.

Reigning Miss Georgia Maggie Bridges stopped by the IHOP in Chamblee Tuesday morning, where she served breakfast and spoke with Children's Miracle Network Champion Sutton Burnett. Other local Miracle Children visited the IHOP restaurants in Peachtree City, Smyrna and Woodstock.

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. -- When Khorkie Tyus’ mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2012, the Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School senior responded by helping her mom at home and spreading “warm love” to others.

Working with an oncology nurse, Khorkie developed an idea for special Warm Love kits for chemotherapy patients.

“I noticed there were people who went to chemo by themselves, and I thought some goodie bags would show them someone cared for them,” explained the 16 year old.

Many patients are sensitive to aluminum, for example, so Khorkie includes aluminum-free deodorant and toothpaste. Chemo patients also tend to get chilly when being infused so Khorkie packs hats, scarves, socks, and blankets. (In fact, cozy blankets were how the project got its name.)

(WXIA) -- Kroger customers in metro Atlanta recently showed that they are a charitable bunch.

During the final two weeks in May, shoppers raised $232,000 for the Children's Miracle Network through the Miracle Balloons promotion.

For only $1, a customer could purchase a paper balloon to hang in a local Kroger. All proceeds from the fundraiser went directly to Children's Miracle Network hospitals and health networks, such as Children's Hospital of Georgia in Augusta and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

"Kroger customers consistently show their care for our communities by constantly going above and beyond with their charitable donations," Glynn Jenkins, spokesperson for Kroger's Atlanta division, said in a release. "Through their support of the Miracle Balloons program, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of children."